Mixing Modernization As Future Vertical Lift pursues transformational technologies, the US military modernizes its legacy helicopter fleet - The ...
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The Boeing Sikorsky SB>1
Defiant uses the company’s
X2 compound helicopter
technologies to achieve FLRAA
range and speed. (VFS staff)
Mixing
Modernization
As Future Vertical Lift pursues FARA Fight
transformational technologies, the US military The FARA competitive prototyping (FARA CP) effort now calls for
the Bell Model 360 Invictus and Sikorsky’s scaled-up S-97 Raider —
modernizes its legacy helicopter fleet. the Raider X — to fly around November 2022 and give the Army an
advanced scout-attack helicopter. Army FARA product manager
By Frank Colucci Col. Greg Fortier noted, “This is not your grandfather’s acquisition
E
program by any stretch.” Competitive prototyping gives industry
ven with timely development and production, the advanced
design attributes rather than hard requirements to allow trades
helicopters or tiltrotors of Future Vertical Lift (FVL) will
for affordability. “It should be crystal clear, if we can’t deliver an
share missions and technologies with legacy Apaches,
affordable FARA, then we’ve failed the mission,” said Fortier.
Black Hawks and Chinooks. The VFS “Pre-Forum 76 Special
Session” webinars in May gave an update on FVL and ongoing
FARA attributes will mature into an Army requirements
helicopter improvements. Army Program Executive Officer (PEO)
document fleshing out a 14,000-lb (6.4-metric ton) helicopter
Aviation Patrick Mason reported his organization is shifting
with a 40-ft (12.2-m) diameter rotor to fit urban landing zones
focus from individual platforms to coordinated capabilities. FVL
and attain cruise speeds not less than 180 kt (333 km/h). Analyses
nevertheless remains a family of flying machines meant to go
trimmed five industry performers to two, and Fortier observed,
farther and faster than today’s helicopters and defeat near-peer
“You couldn’t get two more different platforms.” The Bell Invictus
threats. Deputy PEO Aviation and FVL program executive officer
is an articulated rotor helicopter with tandem cockpits, fixed
(now) Brig. Gen. Robert Barrie summarized, “We look to have
lifting wings and ducted tail-fan. The wingless Sikorsky Raider
an affordable platform that we can achieve reach, lethality and
X with two crew abreast leverages the company’s X2 Technology:
survivability with.”
stacked, coaxial rigid rotors and an integrated tail thruster.
FVL has four signature modernization efforts. Future Attack
Government furnished equipment shared by both includes the
Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competitive prototypes should fly
July / August 2020
3,000-shp (2,240-kW) class improved turbine engine (ITE), a 20
by fiscal 2023. Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrators (JMR-
mm cannon and an integrated munitions launcher. The General
TD) are reducing risk for a Future Long Range Assault Aircraft
Electric T901 ITE completes critical design review in July, and
(FLRAA) program of record. Future Unmanned Aircraft Systems
a first engine to test is expected in the fourth quarter of fiscal
(FUAS) demonstrations include a Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS)
2021. Also government-furnished will be MOSA information from
and Air Launched Effects (ALE) ultimately operated by a Scalable
an architectural collaboration working group (ACWG) to lay out
Control Interface (SCI). A Modular Open Systems Architecture
avionics in both FARA platforms.
(MOSA) for all FVL platforms will leverage the capstone JMR
Mission System Architecture Demonstration this year.
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By the late May, the tandem-seat Bell Invictus
was past subsystem design and moving to
preliminary design. Bell subsequently announced
an industry team including Collins Aerospace for
cyber-hardened avionics, Parker Lord for active
vibration control and L3 Harris for the WESCAM
MX-15D multi-sensor, multi-spectral imaging and
targeting system. Sikorsky’s compound Raider X
passed preliminary design review en route to final
design later this year and — like the much bigger
Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant — benefits from flight
testing of the 12,000-lb (5.4-t) Raider. Plans call for
the competing final designs to support a go/no-go
decision to build two prototypes later this year for
first flights around November 2022. A downselect
to a single platform should give the Army a FARA
first unit equipped in fiscal 2030.
One casualty of the FARA CP downselect was the
compound coaxial helicopter (CCH) proposed by
AVX Aircraft. AVX chief operating officer Kendall
Goodman described the coaxial, soft-in-plane
rotorcraft proposed for both FARA and FLRAA,
the smaller scout powered by a 3,750 shp (2,800
kW) growth version of the ITE. “Our approach
was the body would be a lifting body at high
speeds,” Goodman explained. “What we quickly
learned was we were not able to achieve the lift
The Bell V-280 Valor JMR technology demonstrator offers a tiltrotor
we needed without a wing.” Wind tunnel tests path to a program of record for a Future Long Range Assault
varied wing chord, span and location until, at Aircraft. (VFS staff)
high speeds, the CCH got half its lift from rotors
and half from the wing.
Bell believes its V-280 Valor demonstrator provides a low-
FLRAA Formulation risk transition to the FLRAA program of record. From first
The Bell V-280 Valor and Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant JMR flight in late 2017 to late May 2020, the advanced tiltrotor had
demonstrators are not production prototypes of a 30,000-lb (13.6- logged 171 hours in flight and 318 hours with rotors turning. It
t) class FLRAA to replace the Black Hawk. They have nevertheless demonstrated high-speed efficiency and low-speed agility. Bell
reduced risk for a formal competition between an advanced program director Ryan Ehinger said, “We’re talking about Level
tiltrotor and a compound helicopter. Army FLRAA product 1 handling qualities or demonstrating Level 1 quickness.” Bell
manager Col. David Phillips said, “Competitive acquisition is one established its own key performance parameters at the start of
of the best ways we can achieve the Army’s goals.” Valor development and has shown the aircraft can exceed 280
kt (520 km/h) and hover at 6,000 ft (1,500 m) and 95°F (35°C).
In addition to the JMR technology demonstrators, Karem Aircraft According to Ehinger, “Affordability is the number one priority
has begun single-rotor tiedown tests of a FLRAA-sized optimum- as well.” The Valor systems integration lab exercised the tiltrotor
speed tiltrotor nacelle with individual blade control (IBC) and hydraulics, electrical systems and software. “We tried to look at
efficient two-speed transmission. “You’ve got this rotor that qualification level testing not only for safety of flight but how
works not only in one small band of rpm but over a huge band,” those technologies would be appropriate to the next program.”
explained Karem president Dr. Thomas Berger. The rigid rotor
with IBC also promises high control power. “There sometimes has Sikorsky JMR-TD chief engineer Steve Weiner reviewed FLRAA
been the thought that tilt rotors are not that maneuverable. We risk reduction testing done by the Sikorsky Boeing SB>1 Defiant.
certainly have not seen that to be the case in our analysis.” The big compound helicopter had flown just 18 times for 14 hours
by his time of the presentation, but its propulsion system testbed
Col. Phillips told the VFS webinar audience that JMR-TD work will had logged more than 100 ground test hours. The PSTB enabled
inform FLRAA draft requirements, a system specification and a Defiant engineers to fix acoustic-driven resonance in the engine
weapon system specification in fiscal 2021. “We’re really getting exhaust with swirl vanes tested first on the ground. The Defiant
down to what systems we’re allocating to what requirements.” A rotor system also “flew” more than 400 hours in the National Full-
July / August 2020
FLRAA low-rate initial production decision in fiscal 2028 would Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC) wind tunnel in California.
field a first unit equipped in fiscal 2030. According to Army Futures “We have the distinction of being the fastest edge-wise rotor
Command, the projected schedule most likely dictates a FLRAA ever tested in NFAC,” said Weiner. “We’ve gotten over 250 kt.” The
with a modified, currently available engine. Future increments Defiant also draws on flight test data from the smaller Raider.
would introduce a more efficient and reliable powerplant. In early The S-97 has hit 200 kt (370 km/h) airspeed and 60 degrees of
June, Honeywell announced a 6,000 shp (4,475 kW) T55-GA-714C bank, and demonstrated ADS-33 handling qualities. Wiener told
engine for the Chinook and next-generation applications. the VFS audience, “Everything that Raider aircraft has done, the
Defiant will be doing in the coming months.”
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Figuring Out FUAS
“We’re at a critical junction with our
current UAS portfolio,” acknowledged
Army unmanned aircraft system product
manager Col. Scott Anderson. Today’s
unmanned fleet is rooted in 1990s
technology, and the bigger Shadow and
Gray Eagle aircraft remain tied to runways.
Anderson also noted, “We’re going to be
facing contested, congested battlespace.”
Army Futures Command has nested three
different initiatives under the Future
Unmanned Aircraft System (FUAS).
The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) is
meant to replace the RQ-7B Shadow in
brigade combat teams with a rapidly
deployable, runway independent air
vehicle with reduced acoustic signature.
Last year, the Army issued demonstration
contracts to Textron, L3Harris, Martin
UAV and Arcturus, and by May had
conducted 60 flights at Fort Riley, Kansas.
Demonstrations culminate in fiscal 2021 to The Bell Model 360 Invictus is one approach to FARA and uses a fixed wing to
help formulate a requirements document. attain higher speed and greater range than legacy helicopters. (Bell)
“We’re not picking a winner from the
demonstration, that’s not the intent,” said
Anderson. “We’re collaborating to gain
feedback from soldiers.”
Air Launched Effects (ALE) envisions a
UAS launched and controlled from the
AH-64E initially — and later from FARA
or FLRAA — to extend the reach of Army
aviators in reconnaissance, security
and attack missions penetrating enemy
air defenses. Tests at Yuma Proving
Ground, Arizona, in February and March
launched the Area-I Altius 600 UAS from
a Black Hawk to evaluate separation
characteristics in forward launches from
a hover. The FVL Cross-Functional Team
will continue ALE flight trials into the
fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 to transition
to the next phase of the program.
The Scalable Control Interface (SCI) for
ALE, FTUAS and all future Army unmanned
aircraft will enable a single operator to
The Sikorsky Raider X stretches the S-97 Raider experience to the FARA
control multiple UASs. The Army awarded competition. (Sikorsky)
an SCI software integration contract to
Leidos in February 2020; rapid prototyping will put SCI capability contracts to avionics vendors to develop MOSA tools and rules.
on the MQ-1C Gray Eagle and AH-64E Apache in fiscal 2021, and A capstone demonstration wraps-up this December 2020 and
on an ALE and a FARA rotorcraft around fiscal 2024. SCI aims for will generate a final report and provide guidance for FARA,
an intuitive human-machine interface, and Col. Anderson told FLRAA and FUAS architectures.
the VFS audience, “I can envision a day... when you don’t have
July / August 2020
trained operators.” MOSA flexibility and economy come to legacy helicopters with
the Aviation Mission Common Server (AMSC), which transitions
MOSA and More the legacy fleet from single-purpose/single-vendor architectures
MOSA aims to build and upgrade FVL mission systems without to more adaptable modules and components. Non-proprietary,
expensive proprietary interfaces. New capabilities from a choice government-controlled, open system standards interface new
of developers will adapt to emerging threats. The mission software applications without going to each platform maker for
system architecture demonstration (MSAD) has awarded six integration. According to Col. John Frasier of the PEO’s Aviation
Systems Project Office, AMCS hardware and software can be
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employed on all aircraft as a gateway or digital backbone to to develop a requirement and a path for a similar H-60M open
integrate new capabilities with operational flight programs. He architecture using current Mike-model hardware.
said, “It’s simply a necessity, not only for speed at which threat is
evolving but for cost.” The CH-47F Block 1 Chinook with a Collins common avionics
architecture system — CAAS 9.4 delivered in June — has given
Legacy Links Army cargo helicopter crews Blue Force Tracker situational
While FVL drives a new family of interoperable rotorcraft, legacy awareness and automated tactical approaches through its digital
helicopters are gaining capability. Apache modernization automatic flight control system. It also introduces elements of an
product manager Lt. Col. Matt Peterson noted the latest open architecture to accommodate third-party software without
AH-64E V6 with common processor gives the Apache crew significant change in the Operational Flight Program. The CH-
improved cognitive decision aids and fully integrated LINK 16 47F Block II with Block 10 CAAS, new high-lift rotor blades, and
connectivity. The joint air-to-ground missile (JAGM) will give improved drive, electrical and fuel systems wraps up testing at
the attack helicopter a next-generation weapon with infrared Boeing Mesa in October. Limited user testing next year aims for
seeker. The interim Spike non-line-of-sight missile will extend a low-rate initial production decision. The first Block II MH-47G
standoff ranges beyond 15 nm (28 km). Apache V6 software special operations aircraft will be delivered in August. Block II
will meanwhile migrate through the Apache fleet while an opens the door to automated approaches to GPS points and the
improved tail rotor blade and tail rotor drive enhance agility active parallel actuator system with tactile cueing.
and safety.
All of the changes in US Army helicopters have natural appeal
Black Hawk modernization continues on two fronts. The UH- to international customers. They also mirror the concerns and
60M with integrated cockpit continues in production and will objectives of the other US armed services, and they bridge
be upgraded with the ITE, crashworthy external fuel system and the gap to a new generation of FVL.
other refinements. “The 60M is a very formidable aircraft today
but it does have a challenge with the proprietary cockpit,” said
utility helicopter deputy product manager Steven Kelley. The About the Author
recapitalized UH-60V with Northrop Grumman glass cockpit Senior contributing editor Frank Colucci has written for
and government-owned architecture offers a new open system Vertiflite for the past 20+ years on a range of subjects, including
for faster, more cost-effective upgrade. Compared to the UH- rotorcraft design, civil and military operations, testing,
60M, new UH-60V capabilities can be fielded in weeks rather advanced materials, and systems integration. He can be reached
than months. Ten UH-60L-to-V conversions are in low-rate initial at rotorfrank@aol.com.
production at Corpus Christi Army Depot. The first UH-60V unit
should be fully equipped in fiscal 2021. Studies are underway
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